The Argus - did anyone ever call it the SPORTS Argus in Birmingham and the Black Country? - might be leaving the streets in one form but to the hundreds of people who worked on it and

for it, it will always have a special place.

For over 20 years, the Argus was part of my life. From all the top football stadiums in the country - and a couple in the back waters - to the major racetracks in this country and abroad, to the most fantastic Ryder Cup atmosphere at The Belfry, the Argus has given me the opportunity that many would have given a fortune to experience.

And when you said you wrote for the Argus, no further introduction was needed.

Football editor Mat Kendrick on the Sports Argus

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It was regarded as the best of the Saturday sports papers and it was actually on the mailing list of several managers.

Lou Macari was an avid reader and found quite a few players lurking in its many pages.

Who would have thought that the cheeky kid, waiting outside Millwards newsagents on the corner of Rood End Road in Oldbury to take the bundle of Argus's from the van driver and into the shop (and therefore jumping the queue!) would one day have his name on the front page, covering West Bromwich Albion?

This was before the days of instant reports and results where for many, their first glimpse of the results and tables, goalscorers and reports will come from the Argus.

The final Sports Argus in May 2006

The game finished at 4.40 – they all played on a Saturday afternoon and kicked off at 3pm – and less than two hours later, they were in the shops.

I looked for the reports, dad checked the coupon, hoping… no praying, for 24 points.

Later on in life, you knew how important the words that appeared under your name were.

A rolled-up copy of a Sports Argus was used as an offensive weapon once.

Stand up Ron Atkinson who, annoyed that colleague Neil Harman had only given Albion a ‘fair’ form-rating, struck him at the back of the head – and sent his glasses flying to the optics at the other end of the bar.

Then trying to explain to a player why he was not star man when he scored a late winning goal.

You just wanted your name in the Argus. It looked great on your CV.

People knew your name and there would be plenty of Saturday evenings in the pub when you were asked the inevitable question: “Were you at the same match as me?!”

The Argus could start arguments and settle them. It always had a great team and I was tickled pink to have been associated with it.